“Is anything the matter, Miss Witherspin?” Hester asked.

“Indeed, miss. There never come nothing to sister and me but what’s the matter. But it’s the Lord’s will and we can’t help it.” She ended with a great sigh.

“Is there some new trouble,” Hester questioned further, “if you will excuse my asking?”

“Well, I don’t know, miss, if trouble can ever be called new. But now our sister-in-law’s passed on after her husband an’ left her girl, brought up in her own way an’ every other luxury, on our hands to take charge of. The responsibility will be the death of me.”

“Is there no provision for her?”

“Oh yes, there’s provision! Her mother kept a shop for fancy goods at Keswick—after John’s death, that is—an’ scraped together a good bit o’ money, they do say. But that’s under trustees—not a penny to be touched till the girl comes of age!”

“But the trustees must make you a proper allowance for bringing her up. And anyhow, you can refuse the charge if you choose, can’t you?”

“No, miss, that we can’t. It was John’s wish, when he lay dyin’, that if anything was to happen to Sarah, the child should come to us. It’s the trouble of the young thing, the responsibility—havin’ to keep your eyes on her every blessed moment for fear she’ll do the thing she ought not to—that’s weighing on me. Oh yes, they’ll pay so much a quarter for her! It’s not that. But to be always at the heels of a young sly miss after mischief—it’s more’n I’m up to.”

“When did you see her last?” asked Hester.

“Not since she was three years old!” answered Miss Witherspin.

“Then perhaps she may be wiser by this time,” Hester suggested. “How old is she now?”

“Sixteen. It’s awful to think of!”

“But how do you know she will be troublesome? You haven’t seen her for thirteen years!”

“I’m sure of it. I know the breed, miss! She’s took after her mother, you may take your mortal oath! The sly way she got round our John—an’ all to take him away from his own family. You wouldn’t believe it, miss!”

“Girls are not always like their mothers,” said Hester. “I’m not half as good as my mother. When is she coming?”

“She’ll be here this blessed day, miss!”

“Your house is filled with lodgers. Perhaps you will find her a help instead of a trouble. It won’t be as if she had nothing to do.”

“She’ll be no good to mortal creature,” sighed Miss Witherspin as she put the tablecloth on top of the breakfast things.